There had been a lot of hype surrounding Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce’s return this season. While fans were delighted to see him again suited up in the Chiefs jersey, an off-field move landed Kelce in trouble. It all started with him liking a controversial video by Shane Gillis, which divided the tight end’s fandom into two groups. 

Gillis’ SNL monologue sparked backlash on social media for comments many viewed as derogatory toward women. 

“I haven’t been to the gym in so long, I didn’t know women just dress like w***** now,” Gillis said. “Look, I’m sorry, there’s no other way to describe [it]. Have you seen it? I’ve seen it. You’ve seen the shorts? They’re those neon, like, artificial bait-colored [shorts], and the wrinkles go around the cheeks and all combine at the b*******. And don’t look! You’re not allowed to look.” 

The video was also posted on Saturday Night Live’s Instagram account, which so far has got 134k likes. Among the 134k likes, Kansas City fans discovered Kelce had liked the post. 

Gillis faces significant backlash. For instance, Schitt’s Creek co-creator and star Dan Levy called the host out by taking a stand for women. 

“Women wearing short shorts to the gym does not make them w*****. It makes the men calling them w***** misogynists,” he said as he dedicated an entire reel to make his opinion. “More men need to be standing up in opposition to it because it’s complacency that has created the environment with which women are sexually assaulted and it’s a ‘conversation’ as opposed to a ‘crime.’”

In 2019, Saturday Night Live announced Gillis as a part of the new generation of cast members. However, he was fired even before he could take the stage. The reason behind the decision back then was a video that resurfaced in which Gillis was found using anti-Asian slurs and making homophobic jokes. 

However, later on, he received invitations from Saturday Night Live three separate times. Being one of the most popular touring stand-up comedians in the U.S. right now, he kept receiving invitations. On Instagram, he has a fan following of 3 million. Among his notable works is the 2023 Netflix special Beautiful Dogs. His first comedy special, released on YouTube in 2021, has also attracted 58 million views.

Fans know Gillis’ comedy style. When they discovered Kelce had liked the post, the comments turned critical.

“From Shane Gillis to Travis Kelce yet posting about Taylor Swift- I’m not even a fan but this smells like misogyny to me,” wrote a fan.

“Not @killatrav liking this 😭,” shared another fan.

However, there were some who did not find fault with Kelce enjoying Gillis’ performance, stating that it was comedy and nothing personal. There were a couple of them who were supporting whatever Gillis and Kelce did. 

“Oh no!!!! How dare he laugh at comedy,” a fan wrote.

“Because it was funny.  It’s called comedy,” read a comment.

“How is this even a story I mean what the hell are we even doing?” wrote a fan.

Kelce’s social media activity has become a talking point even as he continues to reach new milestones on the field. In the first two games of the season, he climbed to second on the all-time receiving yards list among tight ends before setting a new YAC record for the position in Kansas City’s 33-30 overtime win over Indianapolis.